The Scavenger Years -Introduction
by Chibi Acky
Summary: Poor, Poor Relena... no one deserves this...
1. Introduction

AN: Here's the Relena story I promised... it's just starting out and is a mere TWO WHOLE PAGES LONG!!! Wowers! I've outdone myself on this one! ^^; I had the worst trouble naming this story... first it was "The Coconut Memoirs" Then "Memoirs of a Lost Girl" and then "Memoirs of a Survivor" and so on and so forth... anyways, I might change the title, I might not, but I'll warn you up front that with will be one long-butt story all told in Relena's POV, BUT! To give you all some relief, I'll break away from the Memoir-type writing and talk about the other character's reactions. PLEASE R & R!  
  
______________________  
  
The Scavenger Years - introduction  
By Chibi Acky  
  
_______________  
  
That island deteriorated me somehow. Whether for better or worse, I'll never be sure. Maybe it's better that way. Maybe it's better that I try not and think about everything God had forced me to do at that time. I ate rat, and I went to the bathroom wherever and whenever I needed to. It was all a cause and effect type of thing... If I hadn't have eaten those rats, I would have starved.   
  
When I ate them, I was starving.  
  
When I didn't eat them, I was starving.  
  
I'm sure once people have read through these memoirs, they won't think so highly of me. Every time I look at person, every time I shake their hands, every time I try to converse with them... all I can think about is "If that person *really* knew me, they wouldn't want to touch me... they wouldn't want to even glance at me..."  
  
I guess life's funny that way.  
  
When I returned home after those three years, people either were faint with shock that I was still alive, or wishing I'd never taken my place back in the spotlight. I have to agree with them. There are times, when I think back on them, that I still wish I was back on the island, feeling the soft caress of the ocean, or smelling it's salty breath.   
  
At least then I had had my freedom. No one was looking at me, pointing out my mistakes, or mocking. No one was there to begin with.  
  
And for the longest time, I thought that no one cared.  
  
I bet you're all thinking, "No one cared? Pfet! This girl has countless allies! She's a princess for God's sake!"  
  
Wrong, wrong, wrong...  
  
Or at least in my mind.  
  
For three years I waited for some reason to give me hope, I had waited, and waited, and waited, and waited. But no one came, and I thought they never would. After all, I didn't even know where I was! My plane crashed somewhere off near Africa, a few miles away from some island no one had ever bothered to colonize.  
  
So there I sat, for the longest three years of my life, eating rat, killing things that were trying to kill me, and never getting the chance to brush my teeth with toothpaste.   
See, people don't know what they have until it's gone. I would have killed men for *one* bottle of toothpaste at that point. Sure, I had my handy dandy little toothbrush, but even that didn't wash up with my suitcases until weeks after my breath was horrid and my teeth felt like they would fall from their roots any moment.  
  
I suppose saying that life on the island was incredibly hard isn't necessarily true. I had my water, it flowed from one end to another, and I had a plethora of bananas and monkeys to keep me company. That's right, I talked to bananas. It really is amazing what some people do when they're crazed with boredom and loneliness.  
  
There were times, that I wished I had died on that island. I wish I hadn't followed that butterfly to find that source of coconuts, and I still wish that perverted monkey, whom I so fondly called Mr. Peepers, hadn't stolen my undergarments and spread them all over the island. It took me four weeks to find it all, and upon my return to my makeshift hut, I'd found that Peepers had begun the task yet again.  
  
I never let that monkey know where I hid them after that.  
  
So as I sit and think this all through, as I was instructed to do, I can still find myself back on those islands. I still see myself running along the beach with Patience, my most treasured animal friend of all. I don't expect anyone to pity me after this, I can only hope that no one will. I wish from the bottom of my soul that you can open your hearts to understanding my situations, and I pray that you won't loathe me for my decisions. All I ask is that you place yourself in my shoes.  
  
This is a memoir of a princess turned scavenger.  
  
This is my life story.  
  
Just try to understand...  
  
++++++++  
  
*bounces up and down* I don't own Gundam! I don't own Gundam! Idon'townGundamIdon'townGundamIdon'townGundamIdon'townGUNDAAAAAAAAAM! *cough* Sorry... sugarhigh... need... more... snapple... need.... more skittles.... more... more... MORE!  
  
That and email please :)  
  
Chibi Acky  
  
http://kiss.to/gyousei  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	2. Prometheus Under Fire

Disclaimer: No own, no money, no sue  
  
Only a couple people reviewed the prologue, but I'm still gonna write this anyways...  
  
================  
  
The Scavenger Years- part I  
  
"Prometheus Under Fire"  
  
++++++++++++++++  
  
daddy says the world is   
a drum tight and hard  
and i told him  
i'm gonna beat  
out my own rhythm  
  
- "The Drum" by Nikki Giovanni  
  
___________________  
  
  
I suppose what kept me fighting through those years of peace was the fact that if I didn't, no one else would. Now, let's assume that the war had never ended; would the world still be conflicting with itself and the colonies? No, I doubt it.  
  
There comes a time in every man or woman's life when they realize their mistakes and immediately try to amend them. I can't really blame them, because throughout those long years, I did the same thing myself. I apologized to the world, to my friends... to my family. I made mistakes during that war; I acted like a fool. But unlike most people who would hang their lives up on silly impertinent matters, I did something.  
  
I kept fighting.  
  
It was an indescribably humid day when I was supposed to go to Africa to observe some signing between two opposing countries. It was nothing out of my normal routine at the time; I got out of bed, ate, worked, ate, worked, and then went to bed. On a good day, I'd only have a couple hundred papers to go over, but no place requesting my attendance. Why did I always go?  
  
Because they asked me to.  
  
I find myself unable to refuse such invitations, I feel absolutely awful every time I had to do it because of prior arrangements.   
  
But let's not get sidetracked here... the day I left in my own private plane is still fresh in my mind. I woke up early and kissed my brother and his wife goodbye.  
  
I never knew I wouldn't see them for the next four years.....  
  
============================  
  
"Promise you'll take care of yourself..." Zechs' voice trailed off, his eyes focused into hers.  
  
"Honestly! I'll be gone for a week at the most!" She gave him a playful jab to the ribs, "What could go wrong? My plane crashing onto some deserted island?" (AN: *cough, choke*) Little did she know, but with that statement, she had utterly doomed herself.  
  
"I do... it's just..." I have a really bad feeling about this one, is how he wanted to finish but instead opted for, "I want you to be safe." She gave him a weak smile, "With you around, I don't see how I couldn't."  
  
"Oh? You think that's funny, little sister?" He grabbed her and began to tickle her. "I'm sorry! I'M SORRY!" she screeched.  
  
"Well, aren't we having fun?"  
  
"I'll miss you too Wufei."  
  
"Wha-?"  
  
"Be safe Miss Relena." Sally winked at her after slamming a fist down onto her partner's head. "You never know what kind of diseases lurk over there there's-"  
  
"AIDS, ebola, and a weird disease that makes you turn purple with green stripes, yes, Duo's already informed me." She gave her friend a hug.  
  
"What disease that makes you turn purple with green stripes?" Zechs inquired, looking utterly lost. Sally and Relena both started laughing, "Just... don't ask..."  
  
==================  
  
As soon as I had stepped aboard that plane, I couldn't help but feel an utter sense of dread wash over me. I should have just walked off that plane, I should have refused to go. But never the less, I got on that plane, sat down, and waved to my small group that had come to see me off. After much persuasion from Sally, I added an extra first aid kit and bug spray which I would later thank her for threatening me with.   
  
For the most part, the first four or so hours of the flight were balmy, and my small private jet just seemed to float lazily through the clouds. It was so calm, moreover, that I managed to drift off into sleep.  
  
That didn't last.  
  
I don't know when it happened, after all, how could such a calm day turn so violent in a few hours?  
  
Fate, destiny, call it whatever you wish, but the next thing I knew, the copilot was next to me, shaking me and trying to force something into my hands. I can't for the life of me remember what it was, but I'm assuming that it must have been a parachute of some sort. The captain screamed something, but his voice was deafened by the roars of rain and thunder.  
  
I KNEW I shouldn't have gotten on that plane.  
  
===================  
  
"We're gonna crash! Make sure the Foreign Minister gets out, John!" The pilot called to the co-pilot. He nodded, reached for one of two parachutes to give to her. Apparently, he realized as he made his way into the back cabin area, she had gone unfazed by the whole ordeal, because she was still sleeping.  
  
She was still drowsy when John shook her awake, shoving the parachute into her hands and the plane jerked down in an absolute nose-dive. The captain screamed something, trying vainly to be heard through the radio, trying to get some help. But the only reply he received was the one from the ocean as it crashed through the windows of the plane, sending all three of them out into the ocean. Relena was sent slamming violently back as the water filled her mouth and stung her eyes. The plane jerked again at neck-breaking speed, and her head slammed back onto a side of the plane.  
  
I'm gonna die...   
  
  
====================================  
  
I woke up, my face in the sand, and the sea at my feet and I realized instantly that I wasn't in my bed. Or anywhere near it for that matter. My arms were so weak that I could barely push myself up, and I found myself dragging myself farther and farther into even more sand before my fingers were lanced by the jagged rocks. Using whatever strength I could muster up, I stood up, my knees shaky and my breath hollow. It took me a few minutes but then it dawned on me:  
  
I was alive.  
  
Among the living and breathing to boot!  
  
Amazed at my miraculous survival, I didn't take notice of my appearance until I tried to walk back towards the beach. My hair was a matted mess, and my Cinq Kingdom uniform, save for the pants and undershirt, where ripped to shreds. My bleeding hands reached down to inspect my swollen and discolored ankle. The gash on my forehead made my whole head ache as I leaned forward. Supporting myself on a tree, I called out in a thin, raspy voice, "HELLO? IS ANYONE OUT THERE?"  
  
Well of course there wasn't, but at the time, I would never admit there was that possibility out there. I screamed, and screamed, and screamed until my voice was gone all together. Then, having no other option, I began to cry. Those tears mingled with my sweat and my blood and in a few minutes, I had to sit down. I buried my face in my hands, trying to figure out what in God's name I could do.  
  
Most people don't understand that up until that time, I had been pampered in an easy lifestyle. But here I was, all alone. I had to hunt, find water, build a fire for crying out-loud without someone there to tell me how to do it. I wasn't scared, no... I was *petrified*...  
  
I was so alone.  
  
======================  
  
"What do you mean, she never arrived?" Zechs was on the edge of mental breakdown.  
  
"It's just what I said, Mr. Milliardo, the organization claimed that she never showed up... do you think something awful has happened to her?" Hilde's eyes looked sad and depressed. He leaned back into his chair, trying vainly to remain calm.  
  
"Nothing better have."  
  
Hilde recognized that tone of voice. The protective older brother had been replaced by the warrior out for vengeance.  
  
"Don't worry... I'm sure our Relena will be just fine, and she'll turn up in a couple of hours!" Hilde tried to be as optimistic as her mood would allow her to be. I'm not even fooling myself...  
  
"Thank you, please keep me informed if you find out anything."  
  
"Will do." Hilde ended the transmission with a sigh.  
  
This was most certainly *not* good.  
  
================  
  
Two weeks later...  
  
The Perfect Soldier sat alone in his dark dorm room, eating an instant cup of noodles (AN: *waves flag and cheers* Hurray for Ramen Noodles!), and watched the news with an utterly bored expression on his face. The man on the television was blabbering on and on and on about Mars and Venus' orbital routes changing. "That's right... keep talking little man..." Heero muttered, shoving another spoonful in his mouth.  
  
"... and in further news, Vice Foreign Minister Peacecraft Darlian," Heero looked up with anticipation, "... has been officially declared missing as of today at noon. Her whereabouts remain a mystery at this time, but we'll be sure to keep you posted-"   
  
Ramen Noodles flew through the air as Heero began to choke.  
  
WHAT?! When did THIS happen? His normally cool features were contorted with anger. It was then that his dorm mate decided to burst through the door, panting wildly as though he had run a marathon.   
  
"LUKE! LUKE!" Scott, the room mate, called using Heero's "name."  
  
"What? What?" Heero found it hard not to mimic his friend.  
  
"THEY'VE GOT HER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" It took Heero a minute to calm himself. A few weeks prior, he had "discovered" Scott's mild obsession with Relena. Everyday, with every mention of her name, Heero still found himself reaching for his gun, expecting to find it there.  
  
But it never was, and Heero began to sigh.  
  
"I know."   
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Aren't you upset?"  
  
"Y-no."  
  
"Y-no? I think you are..." Scott threw himself onto his bed, nearly bouncing back off with the force.   
  
"No." Was the crisp reply.  
  
"Fine, fine, while you keep denying, I'm gonna study."  
  
"Go right ahead." Another monotonous reply.  
  
"My, aren't we cheery today?"  
  
"Go. Away." Her pronounced each syllable bluntly.  
  
"Fine, fine, just don't forget, we have football practice this afternoon; if you forget, coach fries us both." And with that, Scott got up and stormed out of the room.  
  
Heero released the breath he had been holding and allowed his head to fall back against the wall.  
  
"I promised I'd protect you... I'm sorry..."  
  
================================  
  
"Hilde, you are a brave, brave, woman." Duo called to her, finally crossing the room as her transmission with Milliardo ended.  
  
"No, I'm a sad, sad, woman."  
  
"I know what ya mean." He sat down on her lap (*AN: Yes, HE sat on HER lap) and Hilde wrapped her arms around him, leaning her head against the back of his Preventer's uniform.  
  
"You're going to have to be a lot braver if you're going to tell him." Duo hung his head in defeat at her words, "He's going to kill me."  
  
"He's going to kill whoever took her, and if he doesn't find them, then he'll turn to you to vent his anger." She smiled as his back straightened. His grinning face turned around slowly, and Hilde instantly knew what he was planning.   
  
"Duo..."  
  
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  
  
Sitting on that beach, Relena's head throbbed and her heart ached. She must have been sitting there for at least an hour, because the sun had already began to sink. Finally managing the courage and pride to stand back up, Relena winced as her ankle nearly buckled. Her heart shrank and her breath caught in her throat when she realized just how bad the situation was. As she picked up a sharp rock, she leaned over to a nearby palm tree, slashing into it's bark with a single stroke; and from that day on, she would make the journey to the outer beach, rain or shine, marking every day she was on that island. Leaning back on that same palm tree, she managed to shut her tearing eyes and drift into a light sleep, waking every hour with every noise. When the sun finally did begin to rise, she felt quite triumphant about spending her first night on the island.  
  
Little did she know, it would take more than just sleep to survive what the island had in store for her....  
  
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-  
  
  
Okay, that's all for now :) The whole Heero in college thing is paying homage to the absolutely fabulous story "Traitor to the Cause." The Black Rose, you are absolutely awesome; I'm totally enthralled with your story! Okay, anyways... has anyone noticed how many divorce stories between R+H are showing up? It's like one person got the idea and everyone played off of it.....   
  
BTW, there are a few Beta readers for this category over at Writers U, and I'm one of them. I'm supposed to "share" with that with you, and tell you I'll be happy to edit and Beta anything you want me to look over. I've been reading a couple of stories that maybe should've had one...  
  
Please Review and/or email me! Please? Pleaseeeeeeeeeee?  
  
Chibi Acky  
  
http://kiss.to/gyousei  
  
  
  
  
  



	3. Breaking Ties

The Scavenger Years- II: Breaking Ties  
By: Chibi Acky  
Disclaimer: once again, I do not own Gundam. Let's all pity me.  
  
(((((((((((((())))))))))))))  
  
I woke up that morning with a throbbing headache and a sore body. At first I thought I was still in a dream world, until reality came crashing back down on me in the form of a coconut. I remember not even feeling sorry for myself; after all, I'd most certainly been in worse situations than the one I was in. Afterall, I'd survived countless assasination attempts, my brother, my past, the war, and suicidal Gundam pilots, so what could a few days on a deserted island do to me?  
  
A lot, it appeared.  
  
I reached up and made another slash, hoping that I hadn't missed a day in my slumber. My ankle was killing me, and it took most of my strength to pull off my boots as it was swollen and ugly as a bruised apple. I pulled myself up on my knees, cursing my body for being so slow and weak. I managed to get to the edge of the island where the sand met the water, and I stuck my foot in; wincing as the salt seeped into my mangled body. And even though my calm demenor and my fatique, only one thought crossed my mind.  
  
Whatever would I do about clean underwear?  
  
  
==================  
  
The ocean water seemed to numb her ankle slighly and using the materials around her, she made a makeshift split for her arm and ankle. The palm tree had graciously spared her two whole coconuts which she slammed against a rock to crack open. She felt like a primative animal as the juice flowed down from her mouth and onto her neck and clothes. She leaned back against the same palm tree.  
  
"What am I going to do?" She shut her eyes, trying to shield them from the burning sun.  
  
"Great, If I don't die of starvation, or being eaten by some wild creature, I fall victim to skin cancer. Quite pleasant, really." She muttered, pulling herself up.  
  
It was the first time that she had really gotten a good look at the island. The dense jungle foilage seemed to hide most of it's treasure, and in the sky above, a flock of birds flew overhead. She figured that she might as well get the exploring part over as she stumbled through the untamed land.  
  
-------------------------  
  
  
"YOU FOOL! It's A!"  
  
The little man on the television said proudly, "B. And that's my final answer, Regis."   
  
"Ohhhh... I"m sorry the correct answer was A."   
  
"YOU IMBECILE! I told you! I told you!" Heero fell off the bed in frustration. Shaking his head he returned to his seat.   
  
"Having fun there, Luke?" Scott, Heero's roommate, burst into the room with his usual enthusiasm. His curly blonde hair drooped into his eyes.  
  
"No." Was the curt reply.  
  
"What was the question?" He inquired ploping himself down next to Heero.  
  
"Which Gundam sucessfully destroyed the last threatening piece of debris falling from the battleship Libra?" Heero repeated the question.  
  
"Oh, that's easy! It's that Tallgeese Gundam!" Scott seemed so confident, and Heero felt like killing him.  
  
"No, it was Wing Gundam." For the life of him, Scott couldn't figure out why his friend looked so upset.  
  
"Oh..." Scott paused, "Wouldn't it have been great to see a Gundam in action?"  
  
"No."  
  
"I'd *kill* for a piece of one! That would be *so* cool!" Scott's comment made Heero thing of the shoebox under his bed filled with small pieces of Wing Zero he had salvaged after the Mariemaia incident.  
  
"Why would you want something like that? The Gundams were tools of destruction." Heero just kept staring at the televison screen as a commerical for some sort of "Wonderball" came on. (*AN: *sings* Oh I wonder, wonder, what's in a wonderball! Muwahahahaha!!*)  
  
"Still upset over the Vice Foreign Minister?" He leaned down close to where Heero was leaning against his dorm bed, "Yes you are!" He pinched Heero's cheek like a grandmother.  
  
Heero had his hand around Scott's neck in the next instant, "Don't. Do. That."  
  
"O...k...aaaaayy!" Scott gasped as Heero set him down. Scott rubbed his neck, "Sheesh, quite touch‚ today, aren't we?" Heero was about to make a comment when someone began to pound on the door. He stood up briskly, leaving Scott staring at his back.  
  
"Hello, Heero."  
  
"Who's Heero?" was Scott's instant question.  
  
"Sally. Wufei." He nodded in their directions, "It's been a long time."  
  
Wufei grunted while Sally smiled warmly, "Yes, it has... who's your friend?" Heero stepped aside, giving Scott a full view of Sally and Wufei's Preventer uniform.  
  
"Luke... why are there Preventers in our dorm...?"  
  
"Wufei, Sally, this is my dorm mate, Scott Holbreak." Heero seemed to be favoring speech today.  
  
"Uh... we have practice... soon, yes, VERY soon." Scott seemed to be uncomfortable around the other two.  
  
"You go on ahead, I'll meet you there." Heero was still looking at Sally Po and Wufei.   
  
"Right, right! It was a pleasure meeting you!" Scott blew through the door, almost knocking the two guests over.  
  
"I get the feeling he didn't like us much, Sally." Wufei let out a strange smile.  
  
"I'm guessing Duo sent you in his place." Heero motioned from them to come inside and take a seat anywhere. Sally nodded, "He was so scared of what you were going to do to him as soon as you heard what happened to Miss Relena."   
  
Heero seemed to wince at the mention of her name, "I guess he's smarter than he looks."  
  
"Maxwell? Smart? I don't think those words belong in the same sentence." Sally smacked him over the head.  
  
"ONNA!"  
  
"MAN!"  
  
"ARGH!"  
  
(AN: *laughs* I put that in all my fics!)  
  
Heero raised a brow at the flustered Wufei, "Why are you here?"  
  
"We're putting together a "squad" to find Miss Relena, and we thought you might be a little more... sufficent in finding her." Sally gave as a weak ending.  
  
"Any leads so far?"  
  
"No." Wufei didn't seem fazed as he let out a blunt reply, "Will you take this one on?"  
  
Heero didn't seem to have to think about it, "Mission... accepted."  
  
A grin lit Sally's face and she pulled out a small package filled with his uniform, "Good, we're leaving in twenty minutes."  
  
+++++++++++++++++  
  
"HOLBREAK! I SAID RIGHT!!" Coach Brackley, coach of the number one football team of the colonies, screamed to his player.  
  
"I WAS GOING RIGHT!" Actually, Scott *had* been going *left*, trying to see if Luke had arrived yet. A thousand questions were running through his mind; why were the those Preventers at their dorm? And why had Heero been so upset over the Gundam conversation?  
  
Out of the locker room to the right side of the bleachers came a man in a Preventer uniform with untamed hair, and a dangerous gleam in his eye. He walked up behind the coach, straightening his jacket.  
  
"Coach Brackley." The coach turned around.  
  
"Luke?" This caught the rest of the football team's attention, and they seemed to stop midplay. "Keep going! You LACKEYS! I didn't tell you to stop, did I?" They didn't go back to playing, but instead the coach found himself backed by all his players.  
  
"Hey Luke... It's not Halloween is it? This is classic! Our freshman quarter back dressed up as a Preventer!" Heero recongised the voice as one of the linebackers.  
  
"I've come to resign from the team. I can't play for you anymore." Heero's voice was stiff and void of any and all emotions as he turned to his coach.  
  
"Wha-?" The whole team seemed to echo the coach's stupor.  
  
"I told you; something has come up and I can't play football for your team." He handed his coach the bag filled with his football uniform.  
  
"Son... you can't be serious! Luke, *think* about it! This is your only chance for a life!" Coach Brackley seemed even more panicked now.  
  
"No, this is your only chance for a winning football team, and I'm walking away from you."   
  
"Luke! Look son-!"   
  
"That's not my name." Heero cut him off.  
  
"What? Luke what are you-?"   
"I told you, my name isn't Luke Maxwell (AN: heheheh...)." Heero felt the whole team's eyes on him.  
  
"Then what is it? You've been a mystery since the day you tried out!" The coach threw his clipboard up in the air, and Heero caught it with ease, handing it back to him.  
  
"I have no name. I only go by my code name." Heero's voice became even colder as the entire team, excluding Scott began to crack up. Scott peered at his uniform, "You're a colonel? How can that be, you're only eighteen!"  
  
That shut them up.  
  
"It's a fake I tell you!" Someone cried out.  
  
"Injustice! All this time, the "Perfect Soldier" has played football with these scum!"  
  
"WUFEI!!!" Everyone turned to face the newly arrived couple, "Be nice!"  
  
The coach nearly dropped into a fit of hysteria, "My god, it's Sally Po! He ran up to her, snatching her hands in his, "What a pleasure it is to meet you! What are you doing here?" Wufei looked mildly disturbed at the man's show of affection.  
  
"Have we met...?" Sally cocked her head to the side.  
  
"No! No! But you're famous around here! Rescuing those Gundam pilots!" He was acting like a little boy. And the football team nodded as recognistion dawned on them.  
  
"What?! This weak onna never-!" Sally wacked Wufei over the head, "Save it for later Justice Boy."  
  
"Onna..." Sally gave him a sharp look that shut him up.  
  
"What can we do for you Miss Po?" The coach seemed eager to please, "Water? Wine? Food? Anything for you!" Sally was a little surprised when she heard the deep growl in Wufei's throat. "Oh, I'm fine sir... I just came for my friend..." She nodded her head slightly towards Heero.  
  
"Who? Luke?"   
  
"Luke? As in Luke Skywalker? My goodness, Heero, you're getting creative with these names!"  
  
"Hn."  
  
"Heero? Is that your name?" Scott spoke up, pushing up to the front of the crowd.  
  
"My code name is Heero Yuy." Heero's voice was quiet, and both Sally and Wufei had to strain their ears to hear it. "After the colony leader?" Coach Brackley inquired. Heero nodded dully.  
  
"Why gentlemen, didn't you know you had a Gundam pilot playing on your team this entire time?" Sally laughed merrily at all the men's expressions.   
  
Heero was not happy.   
  
No one was suppose to *ever* discover his alter-identily, and now this woman... He did what came naturally to him:  
  
"Omae o korosu." Heero held a gun up to her head.  
  
"Yuy, don't you dare." Wufei looked away almost in a red hue as Heero raised an eyebrow, "And Wufei, out of all of us, I thought you were the most serious." Heero remembered the words Duo had told him Wufei had said.  
  
"She's my partner, after all."  
  
"So I guess you wouldn't mind if I told them all you were the pilot of the Altron and Shenlong Gundams?" Heero spat out angerily.  
  
"KIIIIIISSSAAAAAAAAMMMMAAAAAAAA!!!!!" Wufei made a lunge for Heero, but Sally caught him by the back of his uniform and pulled him back. "I'm sorry for having to pull Colonel Yuy out in midseason, but he has been assigned to the task force searching for Vice Foreign Minister Darlian. We'll have him back before the season is over!" The coach was in tears, trying to hug Heero, "Don't go! PLEEEEEEAAASSSSEEEEE!" His voice echoed in Heero's mind.  
  
Heero! Promise you won't leave without saying anything! Hadn't she begged him not to leave too?  
  
"You can't leave! You're scholarship will go down the drain and you'll be another military bum with no education! I can't- I WON'T let you go!" He fumbled with ideas, "I'll disgrace you! I'll let the whole world know you're a Gundam pilot!!"  
  
"Disgrace me all you want, nevertheless, my hands already have the blood of thousands on them." He uncharacteristically raised any eyebrow, "Would you like to be added to that list?"  
  
He raised his gun again and there was an echoing click as the safety lock came off and he leveled it at his coach's head, "Anything that proves to be.... and obstacle to the mission... shall be prompty... eliminated..." His cold, iron voice forced everyone back at least a foot.  
  
"Now THAT'S the Heero Yuy I know." Wufei muttered.  
  
"Hey... ah, Lu-Heero, thanks for rooming with me, buddy. I guess it's okay that you didn't tell me that you were a Gundam pilot, part of the Preventers, a colonel, and have inside conections with the Vice Foreign Minister... but hey, when you find the girl, be sure to bring her back and visit!" Heero allowed his roommate to give him a "manly" hug, showing off the most emotion Sally and Wufei had seen from him put together.  
  
As he turned to leave he threw a small package towards Scott, who caught it with ease. He opened it, his dark brown eyes studied the metal feathers with great interest.  
  
"That was the biggest piece of Wing I could find after the salvaging crew had cleared away what was left of it after I crashed into Brussels." He nodded to everyone, and Scott managed to give a small wave through his tears of joy.  
  
"Thanks Heero! And don't forget to come back and visit!"  
  
"Hn."  
  
_________________________  
  
After my first walk through the island, I realized that I hadn't even covered half of it. That began to worry me; if the island was so big, how would anyone find me? Inside and under the thick canopy it was hot and humid, and I felt disgusted with the layer of dirt covering me.   
  
There was no food.  
  
There was no fresh water.  
  
There was only the jungle and myself, the naive little girl, and I figured that it would be a hard fought battle.  
  
--------------------------------  
  
WAIIIIIIIIIIII! I'm done with another part! Please be kind to me and review! It's no more than two inches below, and it doesn't take more than two minutes! Pwease?  
  
luvs and hugs  
Chibi Acky  
  



	4. Fire

Okay, I've been getting a few questions lately:   
  
Oakwood: I'm not out to confuse anyone, but it's just the style that I thought would fit the fic better. Why? Because, wouldn't you all be terribly bored if it was just about Relena? I mean... there's only so much to do on a island, and I wanted to show everyone (or rather the small group of people reading this) what the world is like without Relena, even for a short period of time... (wow, what a run-on sentence! I'm almost proud!)  
  
Rose-chan: *flips a dead rat over in the oven/fire* Yup, I cook rats in my free time! When I'm not working on your site, of course! (No, really, I don't...) Thank you for sending me the video! *bounces up and down as she watches Heero and Relena*  
  
Erika: Did I ever answer your question about the purple and green polka dot disease? If not, it doesn't exist... It's in there to show that Duo and Relena have a friendly relationship. In other words, he was just kidding, and then Relena and Sally were joking about it.  
  
Sorry for all the confusion! I seem to have that effect on people... ^^;  
  
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  
  
The Scavenger Years- III: Fire  
By Chibi Acky  
Disclaimer: No own... no money... no sue...  
  
"You don't need a reason to help people."  
  
-Zidane (Final Fantasy IX)  
  
+-=-+-=-+-=-+-=-+-=-+-=-+  
  
(Memoir POV)  
  
Now obviously, I was feeling rather "depressed" due to the fact I had no water, no shelter, and only coconuts to eat. To make matters worse, I had become completely lost. For some odd reason, my system of leaving a trail didn't work, because animals and what-not must have come and ruined it. To this day, I still don't know what happened to my trail.   
  
Moving on through the forest with my ankle still in it's condition was no easy task, mind you. It took me the entire day to get from one end of the island to the other, and all the way back. But I suppose I should have been proud of the fact that I got back to where I started, Lord knows it was the only place on the island I was used to at the time. Still, I couldn't' help but feel that slight prick of panic in my heart.  
  
I didn't find any water.  
  
I didn't find any shelter.  
  
I didn't have a prayer.  
  
__________________  
  
"Heero! It's great to-AAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! Put the gun away! PUT THE GUN AWAY!!!!!!!"   
  
*BAM!*   
  
"MY HAT! You RUINED my FAVORITE hat!" Duo screeched like a little girl. With one death glance from Heero, he was reduced to his normal self.  
  
"Hn."  
  
"Take it easy, boys." Hilde put a calming hand on Duo's shoulder. She motioned for Heero to follow her into her office at the Preventers Headquarters.  
  
"What are the leads?" Heero seated himself across from Hilde at her and Duo's desks.  
  
"What leads?" Duo snorted, "Basically, she was flying through the air, and the next minute, she was gone!" He shivered, "Kinda like a Bermuda Triangle, eh Heero?" Heero did not look amused in the least.  
  
Noin entered the room, followed closely by a sulking Zechs, and an uncharacteristically glum Quatre. "The search area is approximately five hundred or so miles." There were collective sighs as Heero disappeared out of the room and then reappeared with his notorious laptop. He looked up expectantly, waiting for someone to give him reasonable information. "All right, let's start from the beginning..."  
  
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  
  
All I need is one spark... c'mon...  
  
Her hands ached, and the wood shed hundreds of splinters into her hands. She began to mentally chant with each stroke of the wood she made, I hate this! I hate this! I hate-  
  
"HOLY SH-!" She let out a strangled cry as the sharp end of the wood cut into her palm deeply. Tears threatened to fall from her eyes, and her hand was leaking that bright red liquid vital to the survival of a person.  
  
"Don't panic, don't panic!" She began to pace, gripping her wounded hand in her other, "Just stay calm..." Taking one look at the blood and her hand she cried, "But I'm SO much better at panicking!"  
  
All right girl, get a grip... think first aid... what did that teacher of yours tell you to do?  
  
"What teacher?! I never took first aid!" Having no other option, she ripped part of her pant leg off, wrapping around her hand, and wincing in pain as she applied pressure. "Oh boy, do I smell an infection..."  
  
(_)(_)(_)(_)(_)(_)(_)(_)(_)(_)  
  
Left.   
Right.  
Left.   
Right.  
  
Heero marched right out to the shuttle, no emotion in his eyes.  
  
Left.  
Find Relena.  
Right.  
Find Relena.  
Left.  
Find Relena.  
Right.  
Find Relena.  
  
This went on for a period of time, until he forced himself to stop. Boarding the shuttle, followed closely by the "Find Relena Squad," he entered the ship and sat down. It was a half an hour before they were up in the air.  
  
"Run through plans once again, Quatre." Noin called from the captain's seat.  
  
"We'll comb about half of the area today, and then tomorrow the other half. I have the machine hooked up that will sense for any metal at the bottom of the ocean and whatnot."  
  
"So you're still assuming she wasn't abducted?" Wufei leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms over his chest.   
  
"No, that's one of the thousands of possibilities... but during a time like this, I find it hard to believe that anyone would want to kidnap her just to prove a point." Hilde answered, "Hey Quatre we're closing in on the area..." Heero drowned out the rest of her words, resting his head against the cold glass plates of the search helicopter/plane.  
  
Relena...  
  
-----------------------------  
  
I grew up being served my entire life- basically ringing a bell and having everything prepared for me. What "camping trips" Mr. Darlian did take me on were only to the "wild and rough" backyard of our estate. So imagine my disgust of trying to light my own fire with two pieces of flimsy wood.   
  
I couldn't give up though, because I knew that if I did, I wouldn't have fire. Which basically meant I wouldn't eat anything cooked, and I couldn't keep warm. Yes, believe it or not, nights on the island were very, VERY cold, especially when it rained- but that's an entirely different story I'll discuss later...  
  
Anyway, totally abandoning the cursed sticks, I resorted to two nice rocks...  
  
---------------------------------  
  
"Work, work, work, WORK!" She slid the rocks together, trying to ignite a spark with their friction. Throwing her arms up in the air, she let out a frustrated scream. Her outburst caused several birds to scatter from the trees and into the sky.  
  
I wish I could just get up and fly away, but nooooooooooooo, I have to stay here and starve! She sat back on her heels. Feeling sorry for herself, she almost didn't catch the extremely bright, neon, pink suitcases that had washed to the shore, and were slowly being swept back into it.  
  
"No! Wait!" Relena cried as if it would actually help the situation, and sprang to her feet, ignoring the shooting pain in her ankle, as she made a dive for it. The saltwater stung her numerous cuts and bruises, but she did feel an overwhelming sense of amusement at the sight of her luggage.  
  
Of course it made it! Milliardo only got me the fire-proof, water-proof, unbreakable, kind! She rolled her eyes, "The luggage had a better chance of making it than I did, yet here we both are." She laughed softly, her dry throat was thick.  
  
Finally managing to pull the suitcase onto a safe spot, Relena undid the clasps and threw things out left and right.  
  
"Bra, Bra, undies, shirt, socks, and...!" There was a slight pause as Relena pulled out a soaking present. "What is this...?"  
  
Now Relena, be sure you give this to the ambassadors as a sign of the Cinq Kingdom's support... Her brother had said that to her, hadn't he?  
  
She tore the gift open savagely, praying it would be something edible.  
  
Relena was highly disappointed.  
  
Instead of the food or water she had been starving for, she had three pieces of glass which she guessed must have belonged together. She placed the shards of the crystal-clear glass together, tears welling up in her eyes. It was the emblem of her kingdom, and seeing it only brought back the fears of never being able to see it again.  
  
Now that doesn't make any sense! How come the plate didn't survive? she sighed.  
  
"What am I going to...? OWWWWWWWWW! FIRE! FIRE!" Relena began to frantically roll and pat the smoke rising from her pant leg.  
  
She paused in mid-roll.  
  
Relena looked from the new black hole in her pants, to the glass shard from the plate, to the bright sun shining in the heavens above.  
  
Suddenly, her situation had just gotten a tad bit better...  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
"Quatre, are you sure the readings are correct?" Noin called from the back of the search shuttle.(AN: Ugh... I'm at lost for a better choice of words)  
  
"I'm positive... there's just nothing there!" He sighed helplessly.  
  
"There's nothing anywhere! This is absolutely hopeless!" Duo pounded his fist into his other palm.  
  
"Don't give up hope just yet, we still have another couple miles." Trowa seemed to be the calmest, as usual, out of all of them.  
  
"She isn't out here." A surprisingly mournful voice whispered. Heero's gaze was still focused out of the window.  
  
"How do you-?" Wufei began.  
  
"I just do."  
  
*(*(*(*(*(*(*(*(*(*(*(*(*(*(*(*(*  
  
Just because I had fire, mind you, doesn't mean I had anything to eat or drink. So there I was, happy and content with my warm fire, the same fire I had discovered superciliously, and I couldn't do a damn thing with it. By the time I had a roaring fire, the moon had risen, and the sun had disappeared into the waves.  
  
I must admit, one of the only things I truly miss about the island was the sunset. It's hues faded into each other so... gracefully... it was like nothing I had ever seen before. It calmed me like nothing else, and on the "rough days" on the island, I was grateful for the peace it gave me.  
  
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-  
  
Staggering from sheer fatigue, Relena clawed her way through the jungle... desperate. Desperate for anything to eat or drink. Earlier in the week, (As she was now approaching the end of her first month on the island.) she had polished off the coconuts in her area, which had been lovingly dubbed as her "home."   
  
Her vision was blurred, and she was having trouble breathing. Get it together Relena... Her mental encouragement's didn't seem to help. Tripping over a toppled log, she was hardly apt at pushing herself back up.  
  
  
She stumbled, fumbling with her steps. Suddenly, her entire body was feeling twice as heavy, excluding her head which felt just as light as a feather. This was it; the end of the line for the former Queen of the World. Never again would she see her friends, or her family, or him....  
  
Would she never be able to tell him how she felt?  
  
She was crying now, feeling rather foolish as the monkeys and birds screeched above her. Damnit! What a way to die! She was laughing bitterly, her vision slowly fading out.  
  
Goodbye my friends...  
  
Goodbye my dearest brother and sister in-law...  
  
Goodbye my beautiful kingdom...  
  
Relena heard rustling around her, and her blurred vision latched to another pair of blue eyes.  
  
"Heero...?" She reached a hand out, as if it was a mirage. Heero, I love you...  
  
She never got to finish her thought, for darkness had already consumed her.  
  
  
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  
  
Sorry, I had to stop there... :( I'll get the next part out ASAP... Everyone thank Rose for forcing me to do this. Luv la lots, Rose ^.^  
  
luvs and hugs  
Chibi Acky  
  



	5. By Any Other Name

Author's Note: I'll make this really quick.... thanks to everyone who reviewed the last   
chapter! It's amazing how many more reviews this story has picked up, and it makes me   
feel really good about my writing! Thanks again, and keep them coming! 

---------------------------- 

The Scavenger Years-Part IV: By Any Other Name   
By Chibi Acky   
Disclaimer: I own Endless Waltz, and there ain't no'thing yous can do about it! (no   
really, I swear I do! I got it on DVD for my birthday a few weeks ago! ^.^) 

----------------------------- 

I'm sure you're all thinking to yourselves "Wow! They found her extremely fast!" and   
"Boy, I'll bet she sure was glad to see her knight in shining armor rescue her yet again!"   
And in which, of course, the majority of you all would be wrong. 

You see, it would have been much to easy for me if it had been Heero, my brother, or any   
of my closest friends. All the few weeks I spent on the island I had been praying for a   
miracle, or anything that would help me... well... live. As those arms caught me before I   
slipped into the depths of fatique, I realized my hopes and prayers had been answered. 

Where I had prayed for a miracle, I recieved an angel. 

------------------------------   


"Welcome back to the world of the living!" A rather cheerful voice called from across   
Relena. As her eyes adjusted, and those annoying spots of light cleared from her vision,   
she could make out the shape of what appeared to be a makeshift hut. 

The hut, which would serve as her home, was made from the scattered wood of the palm   
trees that lined the island, it's roof, their branches, and shelves had also been nailed to the   
wall by what, Relena had no idea. 

"Heero?" 

No. 

Instead of where the homicidal/suicidal Gundam pilot there was an old man. His face was   
sagging around his sapphire eyes, and his colorless lips were stretched in a gargantuan   
smile, almost hidden by a long beard. His face was worn almost to the consistancy of   
leather, and his long white hair was tied behind him with a scap of cloth. 

"Heero? Like the colony leader? How is he doing these days?" His voice was soft and   
kind, like a tone you'd expect to hear between a grandfather and granddaughter. 

Dear God! How long has this man been on the island?> Relena bit down on one of her   
chapped lips. "He's.... dead." Oh great, WAY-TO- GO-RELENA!> Her mind   
screamed when the old man's face fell. 

"...how?" The shock of her blunt statement had finally worn off, and he handed her a   
glass of water. Water? NO WAY! Where'd he get it?!> Relena was drinking savagely   
before she realized that it could be the only water he had. 

"He was assasinated." 

"Oh... I see... well, all good things have to come to an end. And the Peacecrafts? Is their   
luchious kingdom still prosperous as always?" His charming grin had returned. 

And it vanished just as quickly when he saw the mournful look on Relena's face. 

"Demolished. The king and queen were assasinated." She took in a deep breath, and the   
man's face looked angushed. 

"And the children? What about the children?" He grasped her blistered palms and held   
the tight, despite the pain it caused her. 

"They survived." Relena favored him with a kind smile. 

"Are you sure? How do you know?" 

"Because you're looking at one of them right now." 

_________________________________ 

"She's not down there." Wufei called from the pilot's chair, "I don't know why we're all   
wasting our time looking down in the ocean." 

He was rewarded with angry stares. 

"We just have to keep looking." Hilde insisted casting a look to Duo that said, 'Back me   
up, here!' 

"Look... Babe.... we're almost out of fuel. We can only make one more sweep." Duo   
put a hand on her shoulder. 

"And then we're just going to give up?" Hilde shouted, "Duo Maxwell, I thought you had   
more faith than this!" She jabbed an angry finger into his chest. 

Duo, wounded by her comment about lack of faith, grabbed her hand and held it tightly in   
his, "Look Hildey! Look! There's no land, and if she's out there, she'd be rotting at the   
bottom of the ocean, getting eaten by all the little fishies!" 

There was a loud *SMACK!* as Hilde, well, slapped Duo across the face. "How dare   
you! How disrespectful!" She stormed to the back of the search plane, locking herself in   
the bathroom. 

Rubbing his sore face, Duo looked up, only to be met with a snickering Wufei. 

"Wu-man, just shut up man. Just shut up." 

Silence. 

"She's been gone for almost a month... do you think she's really... well, you know...   
dead?" Duo stumbled over his words as he occupied the empty co-pilot chair. It was just   
Wufei, Hilde, and Duo making the swoops over the ocean now. Trowa and Quatre had   
left for the colonies trying to dig up any details they could, and Heero and Milliardo...   
were just being Heero and Milliardo. Sulking. 

Heero spent most of his time in his room in the Peacecraft estate. Duo figured he must be   
doing something with that god-forsaken laptop of his. It was a week ago that Noin had   
officially declared Relena missing, and the media-hype was still abuzz with curiousity. A   
new man, by the name of Ihateu Presidentdubya had filled in for Relena in her "absence."   
Presidentdubya had come from the rough-tough-romping-south, also know as Texas. His   
twangy accent could penatrate the depths of your sanity, and his speaking skills were less   
than... apt for the job of peacekeeper between the colonies and earth. 

"With all this... she should be. But something tells me differently, that woman is too damn   
stubborn to die." Wufei let out a bitter grin, and Duo clasped his shoulder. 

"Something is telling me the same thing, Wufei." 

+++++++++++++++++++ 

"Princess Relena?!" The man fell to one of his knees, and clasped his hand in hers, "Thank   
the heavens I rescued you!" 

No, thank you!> Relena smiled kindly, "You're too kind... please, I'm not a Princess   
anymore..." 

"What?" 

"I work as Vice Foreign Minister-" 

"And Darlian? Was he assasinated too?" The old man's voice was high and shrill, almost   
with panic. 

"Yes..." Relena fought oncoming tears, "The Darlians adopted me when our kingdom fell.   
They raised me like their own, and it wasn't until my father, Mr. Darlian was dying that he   
told me who I really was." The old man was in tears. 

"You poor dear!" He wiped his tears away, "And what of your elder brother, Milliardo?" 

"Milliardo... is well... Milliardo. We kinda went through some rough times if trying to   
destroy the would is considered "rough"> and we've come to make some ammends with   
the past." 

"I think I've missed too many things..." The old man shook his head and stared out of the   
opening of the hut. Relena sat up slowly, "How long have you been here?" 

"Ten... fifteen... sixteen years maybe." Relena's mind was churning. Would she be there   
that long? 

"How did you get here? On the island I mean?" The questions were flying out of   
Relena's mouth. 

"I was flying back from a mission that your father-" he paused remembering the fact that   
the girl before had two fathers, "-King Peacecraft sent me on a dipomatic mission and I   
never got back." He laughed slightly. 

"I remember... I remember! Father was so distraught about it! He locked himself away in   
his chambers, and even mother couldn't get him out of slump. But I thought it was over   
my uncle..." Realization dawned itself on her face, "Oh my god! Uncle Ashler!" 

__________________________ 

Okay, so I had forgotton about my dear uncle. 

So sue me. 

It was all uphill from there. The memories that came flooding back... I'll have you know   
that he was my favorite uncle (and also my only one... but that's besides the point...). He   
just smiled and laughed when I had it figured out. It didn't surprise him at all. 

I spent the rest of the day trying to fill him in on the current situation of the government,   
and he was only slightly fazed when I diplomaticly explained Milliardo's behavior during   
the Eve Wars. Uncle Ashler told me that Milliardo had redeemed himself just by   
returning, and I couldn't help but agree with him. One thing did worry me though, and   
that was his choice of a "pet." 

This wasn't your normal house cat or dog, this was a panther. The same kind in the   
"Jungle Book" that had tried to eat that one little boy. He named her Patience, saying it   
was a virtue that he needed to work on with her. 

Patience was a strange little thing, really. Totally wonderful to humans, but ferocious to   
all other predators and threats. At first, I couldn't believe my eyes. I mean, come on!   
How could you train a panther to carry water jugs for you? How could you teach it not to   
bite your head off when you were sleeping? I didn't know. 

"I raised her." He had explained to me simply, "She knows right from wrong... she's the   
pacifist of the jungle!" 

He had said it to amuse me, but I was right out of my mind with terror. 

================================ 

"Oh come now, Relena! She won't hurt you!" Ashler called from across the stream   
running beside their hut. 

"No, she'll only shred me to bits and then feast on my insides!" 

Relena's uncle let out a hearty laugh, "What an imagination you have!" Another laugh,   
"Just reach out and pet her!" 

Taking a shakey step forward with the makeshift brace her ncle had made her, Relena   
reached out a callused hand. Patience's head was nearly an inch away from her, but she   
knew she wouldn't be able to put forth that extra effort. 

Seeing her mental delimma, Patience improvised by meeting her halfway. 

From that day on, Relena never had a problem with stroking Patience's silky black coat. 

_____________________________ 

"Hey look!" Sally Po pointed to the radar that she and Noin had set up in a local coast   
guard station. The radar in the search plane had been sending signals back to the two   
women who looked them over with more detail. 

"Don't get excited, Sally. It's probably just another piece of the Libra." Noin ran a hand   
through her short hair, and slumped even further down in her chair. 

"No, I have a good feeling about this! A really good feeling!" Sally switched on the radio   
signal, "Wufei, this is Sally, do you read me?" 

"This is Wufei, I read you woman." 

"Good, I want you to make one last circle back about an eighth of a mile." She paused,   
double-checking the coordinates, "There should be a fairly large piece of metal. Pull it   
up."   


"I would, but we're running low on fuel." 

"Then switch to solar power and don't complain." 

"Woman, I hope you know what you're doing." 

+++++++++++++++++++ 

If there was one thing that Wufei didn't like about the Earth, it was the ocean. 

Endless and vast, when one was stuck in the center of it, it went on forever. Somehow, he   
was the one that had gotton sucked into going down to attach the bloodly piece of metal   
Sally had found. Normally, he would be more than enthusiastic, however this was actually   
the tenth one he had to go down for. 

He sighed as another school of fish swam by him merrily. 

Wufei was now well below the surface of the water and was too afraid to pilot the small   
sub any further. 

"Stupid woman! Nothing! There is NOTHING!" In a fit of rage, he slammed his fist   
down on the control panel of the cramped sub, turning it violently to the side. It's beams   
of light flashed over the wreckage of a small plane. 

And he felt his stomache flip when the half-eaten carcus of a man floated across his line of   
vision. 

+++++++++ 

Author Note #2: And so ends my all too short Spring Break. *cries* Anyways, I   
thought I'd let you know that the Gundam Co. finding the wreckage of the plane was all   
Rose's idea. *hugs Rose* Not exactly what you had in mind though, huh? I know in the   
the prolouge (or maybe part one) I said Relena was alone on the island for almost all of   
the four years she was on it. That's totally true, and I'll make it work (somehow!). 

The next two stories I'll be working on for next week are: Heroes, Golden Children, and   
maybe Black Waltz if I have time. 

Luvs and hugs   
Chibi Acky 

http://kupo.bored.org 


	6. "Survival is in the Blood..."

The Scavenger Years (part V)- "Survival is in the Blood..."  
By Chibi Acky  
Email: xela@selphie.nu  
Loves: reviews, nice emails, and even *gasp* flames! Yes, come diss me, all you yaoi worshipers!  
Hates: Stupid disclaimers (Gundam W is owned by Sunrise, yadda yadda...), and idiots who are idiots just to be idiots.  
  
Author's Note: Okay.... *falls over in exasperation* I have TOO many stories going at once. I think I'm starting to lose interest in my stories, because my enthusasium has gone to little more than zilch. I've been busy making websites and helping people with *their* stories... leaving me no time to work on my own.  
  
So for all the people waiting for this: (over 3 months!) Thank you for waiting!  
  
_______________________________________  
  
It was another couple of months before I could walk on my ankle. Uncle Ashler insisted that I spend the days resting, which made me feel no less active than a potato. He'd leave in the morning to gather fruit, come back to drop the food off and boil water (which he'd learned to gather from the consistent rainfall), and leave again with Patience to gather more wood, before finally coming back to eat himself. All of this took the main portion of the morning.  
  
The one thing I did appreciate though, was the sunsets on the island. Some times I'd take Patience on walks with me down the beach, just to stretch out my cramped and sore legs. I could always see the disgruntled look on my Uncle's face as I came strolling back to our little camp.  
  
What was our "camp" like, might you ask? Perhaps now would be a good time to explain what the island looked like. The island is roughly in the shape of a hexagon, with several stretches of land branching out on each side. There were mainly just shallow waters lined with smooth pebbles in each of the indents. Of course, with our luck, there was rarely a fish that ever ventured forth into a place we could reach them. The ocean water surrounding the island was a clear blue... absolutely gorgeous. However calm it was near the island, it was rough and choppy as you wadded out further. Our camp was located towards the center of the island, where there was a small cave-like waterfall that ran only ocean water. In fact, the waterfall also served as a nice bathing place... after you got past the fact that you were bathing in the water you had to sometimes go to the bathroom in.  
  
Surroundings were that of a typical tropical island. Lush forests of palm trees and strange plants were all about, not to mention the odd variety of animal life. Especially those monkeys.   
  
Especially that damn Mr. Peepers.  
  
And so began year number two on the island.  
  
___________________  
  
"Wha-?" Scattered about her, were underwear.   
  
Her underwear.  
  
Everywhere.  
  
In fact, all of what little clothes Relena had salvaged from the plane wreck lay in mangled piles around her. Glancing up, she quickly snatched her bra (which had been dangling from the branch above her) as her uncle marched back into their clearing.  
  
"Now what in the name of...?" He paused, setting down the firewood. "Peepers! GET OUT HERE NOW!"  
  
Relena who had never heard her *kind* uncle yell before, took a step back. "Peepers?" She inquired, "What's a 'Peepers'?"  
  
Ashler gave her a quirky smile, "A very perverted monkey who likes to steal the undergarments of people... I'm sorry, I should have warned you." They both sighed as he continued, "It'll take you weeks before you find everything he took..."  
  
"Well... I don't suppose it's that bad, considering the fact I really didn't have anything to start with." Patience, who had been at Ashler's side, purred as Relena stroked her black fur. She bent down to pick up some of the firewood, tossing it into the makeshift fire pit they had made.  
  
"I suppose it could be worse..." Ashler began. Just then, a loud clap of thunder angrily rang out, and pounding rain began to fall.  
  
The now drenched Relena turned to her Uncle with an unamused look on her face.  
  
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()  
  
"Steady... steady..."  
  
Sweat literally poured off her well tanned face.  
  
"You're doing a great job. Steady... stead-"  
  
"Tell me to be 'steady' one more time, and I might have to hurt you." Relena said through clenching her teeth. From where the two were perched on the lone boulder in the middle of the indent, you would've thought they were about to dive in. Instead, they were "fishing".   
  
Fishing on the island of misery required a long spear that had to be smoothed and chipped with your own hands and rocks. If you lost it attempting to catch a stray fish or two, you would have to make another one. A long, and painful, task.   
  
Finally not able to stand the burning sun on her back, or her uncle's coaching of "Steady", Relena aimed wildly, knowing that even if she missed, she would still be out of the blinding sun, which at that very moment, was the most important thing for her.  
  
"Bloody... I don't believe it! It took me *years* to learn how to throw that stupid thing, and you get it down on the first try!" Ashler's voice cut into her daydreaming of the nice chilly water below them.  
  
"I got it?" She looked down, and sure enough, there was the lone fish, pinned in-between the rocks below. "I got it! Uncle Ashler! I got it!"  
  
Ashler laughed, "That you did, Relena. That you did."  
  
And then, even more shockingly, "OH MY GOD! I killed it!" She sobbed, "What kinda pacifist am I?"  
  
"A very hungry one?"  
  
"That's not funny!" She pouted, "What if it had been a real person?"  
  
"Relena, it's a fish."  
  
"I hurt it though! I'm so ashamed of myself!" She paused before wailing, "And what I've become!"  
  
"Okaaaaayyyy... something tells me this isn't about the fish anymore."  
  
"How can you stay here like this? I can't stand this place anymore!" She sat down, burying her hands in her tangled mane. "I haven't brushed my teeth in practically a year, no baths.... no family!" She sobbed, "No nothing!"  
  
Geesh... maybe I should move her out of the sun.... Ashler quickly dashed those thoughts when he realized something. "It's hard, I know. The first couple of years, I felt like killing myself... it gets lonely here; I'll be the first to admit that." He placed an arm around her shoulder, "And if it makes you feel any better, I haven't brushed my teeth or combed my hair in ten or so years."  
  
Relena laughed slightly.  
  
"But what I don't understand is why you haven't just tried to escape from here." Relena lifted her eyes to meet his. The very same eyes she remembered from being a little girl, and the same ones that held what appeared to be infinite wisdom or sadness.  
  
"Rule number one of survival, Lena. Don't assume anything."   
  
_-------------------------------_  
  
Okay, so you can call me stupid or whatever you want for having a mental breakdown about killing a fish, but you have to understand, that from that point on, my entire outlook on life was drastically changed. Suddenly, it was eat or be eaten, a survival of the fittest-type world.  
  
But when it comes down to it, I suppose that politics and island life were much the same. It was always a constant challenge to keep your head above the water.   
  
_____________________________  
  
"So... what's this we're looking at?" Duo questioned, twiddling his thumbs uncharacteristically.  
  
"A piece of the plane that Relena was flying on." Noin answered, rubbing her eyes.  
  
"Does this mean that she's-" Heero cut Hilde off, "It doesn't mean a thing, because we found every other body, but hers."  
  
"She could have been eaten, by sharks or something..." Duo chirped up, earning a hard braid yank from Hilde, and dirty stares from everyone else.  
  
"No, he's right." Lady Une sighed miserably, "There are thousands of islands surrounding that area, but there are also some nasty sea creatures. We need to do a more careful scan of the area..." She seemed to choke on her words, "She could have been thrown from the plane."  
  
Zechs, the former Lighting Baron, had a determined look on his face. "She's not dead. I agree with Yuy on this."  
  
The others stared at him, in almost a pitying manner.   
  
"What makes you so sure?" Trowa asked from where he had leaned himself against a wall.  
  
Zechs felt his lips turn slightly upward - the first smile since the time Relena had been listed as a missing person, "Because... survival is in the blood."  
  
_________  
  
"Relena... whatever are you doing?" Ashler found his niece busy at work, the very next morning, humming a tune he'd never heard before. Beside her, Patience was stretched out, soaking up the blistering rays of the sun.  
  
"I'm making you a raft, silly!" Relena answered him as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Taking another branch, she weaved it around one of the pieces of wood she'd nabbed from a dead tree.  
  
"A raft as in I'm gonna float away from my little island on my little raft, raft?"  
  
"You got it." Relena flashed him a cheery smile. Her uncle managed to plop himself down next to her. He took her hands in his, and said to her gently, "I've tried this already, and nearly got myself killed in action." Taking her hands from his, she told him proudly, "But you're gonna make it with this one, I promise."  
  
"And what about you? I won't let you stay here by-"  
  
"Myself? Since when has this been an issue? You've been here by yourself for over ten years... me? I've only been here for a little more than a year." She paused to wipe the sweat from her forehead, "And anyway, once you make it to land, you can go and tell the others where I am." Her smile instantly grew brighter at the concept of going home.  
  
"I don't like this..." Ashler rocked back onto his palms and looked up towards the sky.  
  
"You don't have to like it, because you're going!" She shot him a death glare, "And you're going to meet up with Milliardo and meet his wife Ms. Noin, and THEN you are going to tell them where I am!"  
  
"Any other requests, Princess?"  
  
"Actually..." She looked rather sheepish, "When you come back, could you bring a toothbrush and toothpaste?"  
  
Ashler just laughed.  
  
_--------------------------_  
  
Two Weeks Later....  
  
_--------------------------_  
  
"... and what will happen if I run out of water?"  
"You pray a ship finds you." Relena answered with all honesty.  
  
"Do you remember where to go when the rains come in? They weren't nearly as heavy last year."   
  
"Yes, I do believe I remember... the question should be if YOU remember where YOU'RE going?"  
  
"Some place called Brussel Sprouts or something?"   
  
Relena gave him an annoyed look, "Just forget I even asked..."  
  
Helping her drag the raft towards the ocean, he finally said with a quirky grin, "Will do." Relena punched him playfully in the shoulder, "Go ahead, get going."  
  
"Oh, so you ARE trying to get rid of me, aren't you?" Relena rolled her eyes, "No, it's because the sooner you get off the island, the sooner you can be back with my toothpaste!" They both shared a quick laugh, before a thick blanket of silence befell them. Ashler put an arm around his niece and stared out into the sea almost blankly. Finally, he turned to her and asked for the last, and definite, time, "Are you sure that you don't want to go?"  
  
Relena nodded and gave him a kiss on the cheek, "Say hi to the Cinq kingdom for me, okay?" Ashler nodded slowly, giving her another lasting hug, "I'm coming back for you 'Lena... and I'll be sure to have your toothpaste."  
  
Relena nodded, tears pooling in her eyes, as she watched her uncle float away back to her home.  
  
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()  
  
It wasn't that I didn't *want* to go. I would have given up everything to have switched positions with my uncle, but I didn't... and I probably never would have, if asked the question. It's hard for people to understand me, I guess. I had this big, fantastic life, but all my Uncle Ashler had known for the past ten years were the island. *He* needed to be the one to go back home... after being here, he deserved it.   
  
So I watched, praying that he'd be okay. He had to make it through, because not only was I counting on introducing him back to Milliardo and hanging out with him, my life was in his well callused hands.  
  
The same hands I wouldn't see for three more years.  
  
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()  
  
The sun was always hotter by the ocean than it was in land, but when you were actually in the middle of the ocean, it was as though you were spending a day in hell. Around him, the light reflected itself off of the water, and created an almost surreal glow around him. Ashler Peacecraft could literally *feel* the skin falling off of his back from the sun.   
  
Dipping his hand lazily in the water, he pondered about how long he had been floating for. Just by checking his rations of coconuts and bananas, it had to have been at least a week.  
  
'Lena... are you okay?  
  
Suddenly, the heat was too tense for him. He reached over to the last of his water canteens that he and Relena had made out of coconut shells, and tried to empty it's contents into his mouth.  
  
Nothing.  
  
There was nothing left in the coconut shell.  
  
Am I... out of water?  
  
He shut his eyes at the nearly unbearable thought.  
  
Am I going to die out here...? Out in the ocean I hate so much?  
  
Using the oars that he'd constructed, he began to push his speed up, ignoring the dizziness in both his head and his body. Finally, when he was unable to move any further... when his hands were raw from the work, and when he couldn't keep his eyes open anymore, he saw it:  
  
The Mimarin.  
  
A ship.  
  
Thank you, God. I'll pray tonight, I swear I will...  
  
((((((((((((((((((()))))))))))))))))))))  
  
"Hello? Sir?" Ashler, hoping he'd open his eyes to the beauty of a luxury cruise, was highly disappointed with the rust stains and dirty men gathered around him.   
  
"He ain't pretty." One of the men threw his cigar butt to the ground.  
  
"Wh-where am I?"   
  
"The oil ship The Mimarin, where the hell are you supposed to be?"  
  
"In... Sprouts?" Ashler shook his head to clear his thoughts, "Yeah, a town named Sprouts. I need to meet my nephew and his new wife, yes, that's it."  
  
"Sprouts? I neva hearda it, any of you?" The man had an accent that was indistinguishable from all the others. Everyone in the room shook their heads but one man, "I think that's in Canada..." The others nodded dumbly, as if trying to prove their intelligence.  
  
"Well Misa', we've got ourselves three years out here until the company will let us back. It's all about the oil, ya know?" The first man replied.  
  
"No! I have to get to Sprouts right away! My niece, she's- she's... I don't remember... oh my God, I don't remember." The old man shook his head. The men around him looked confused as to what to do.  
  
"Should we call da coast guard to bring him in?"  
  
"Nah, our transmission is busted, remember?"  
  
"Damn." The first one swore, "Well... Mista', in three years, we'll give you a ride back to Sprouts, 'k?" Ashler nodded dumbly. "But if anoth'r ship comes, we'll letcha go wit them, ya know?"  
  
But the ship never came, and it never would.  
  
___________________________________  
  
*wakes herself up and yawns* Well, that was a boring chapter. Ugh, enthusiasm level = 1.2 % I think if I don't get any reviews, I won't finish this... That's not a threat or anything, it's just that I'm sorta gettin' bored with this story.  
  
Luvs,  
Chibi Acky   
  
  
PS Please excuse any, and all mistakes that might have been made within thesse 2697 words. This piece of "earth-shattering" literature was composed from 3-5 AM with a lot of struggling, hair-pulling, and stalling. Thank you, have a nice day!  
  
PPS Mimarin is actually a character from the movie "Perfect Blue"- which I HIGHLY recommend. It's AWESOME! I chose Mimarin, because my dear friend Bishounen offered to host my blog at his domain! (mimarin.net) Tee hee!  
  
Until the next three months!   
  
  
  



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